


Transitions

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-26
Updated: 2009-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-19 14:13:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12411855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: “You’re in my way.”� Lily said. “That’s a matter of opinion, if you ask me,”� James Potter said lightly. [A brief hallway interaction at nine in the morning].





	Transitions

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

A belated birthday present to Sharon! Okay, very belated, but in a way, the belatedness helped out, because it was the sheer last-minute pressure that forced me to write something.

And in honor of the last time I wrote something for her birthday, this too centers around a hallway interaction, which was purely coincidental. Don't ask me what it is about hallway meetings Also, don't ask me about the back-story to this moment....because there is none. :D 

**Transitions  
**

"You're in my way."

"That's a matter of opinion, if you ask me," James Potter said lightly. He was, in fact, sprawled in the corridor, so that his head was uncomfortably lying against the stone wall on one end and his legs bent so that his toes touched the wall on the other. There was no matter of opinion.

"There is no matter of opinion," Lily said out loud. "You're taking up the entire space. You're in my way."

"Well," James said. "I think we should first analyze what 'your way' really means. I mean, do you think my way was to end up lying on the corridor floor at nine in the morning? No, it wasn't. Maybe what you think is your way is actually behind you, or to the left, or to the right. Who's to say?"

"Professor McGonagall is to say," Lily said testily. "When she murders me for not making my appointment."

"She won't murder you," James said blithely. "She might maim and dismember a bit, but she'd never kill next year's best and brightest Head Girl."  


Lily shot him an annoyed look. "I'm not next year's 'best and brightest Head Girl'," she said.  


"Sure you are," James said, looking at her with amusement. "Everyone knows it."  


Lily willed herself to not redden. "Well, thank you, Potter-"  


"-James-"  


"for your vote of confidence. Now if you could please move your arse from the corridor, I'd greatly appreciate it."  


"Why are you meeting with Professor McGonagall anyway?" James asked.  


"Why are you lying on the corridor at nine in the morning?"  
James grinned. "Sharp as a dragon's tooth, aren't you, Evans? Well, I'm afraid that's a secret I'll never tell."  


Lily perked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You're not waiting for Remus to come back from the Hospital Wing?"  


James's grin fell almost so instantly from his face, Lily had to swallow her laughter. His eyebrows furrowed together and he cocked her head at her. When he spoke though, his voice was expressionless. "Perhaps. How did you come across Remus in the hospital wing?"

Lily shrugged just as blithely as he always did to her. "I fancied a nighttime stroll," she said easily.  


"You were on Prefect rounds," James said, with an apparent rush of clarity. "And you saw him go in with Peter, right?"  


Lily hated that he was so quick on the uptake. "I said I fancied a nighttime stroll. You're not the only one who breaks curfew."  


James laughed out loud at this, which she couldn't blame him for. "In this crowded hallway, Evans, I think I am. You stick to your little Prefect rounds."  


This time, with all her willpower available, Lily couldn't help but color a little. He made her sound so, well, lame.  


Maybe this read across a little too well, because when James spoke again, his eyes were gentler and his voice kind. "We can't have Hogwarts's best and brightest Head Girl break curfew, after all," he said. "You just leave that to my juvenile delinquent self."  


"I'm not Hogwarts'-"  


"Oh, hell, Evans, yes you are. Don't even bother denying it. Who else in our year is more qualified than you?"  


_Stop fucking blushing_. "Loads of people. Emmeline Vance-"  


"Too quiet."  


"Dorothy Simmons."  


"A bit dotty."  


A small idea formed in Lily's head, one that was both bad but irresistible. "Quinn Eggers."  
"A complete hag."  


"Joanne Martins."  


"Not very clever as people say she is."  


"Lily Evans."  


"Completely perfect," James said, hardly missing a beat. He looked up at her and grinned, as if he knew.  


_Stopfuckngblushing, stopfuckingblushing, stopfuckingblushing!_ "Move out of my way," was all she said weakly.  


This time, James got up. He stood up and brushed off his pants and stretched hugely, reaching his arms towards the ceiling. "Have fun at your appointment," he said, while covering a yawn with his hand.  


"I'm late now, you know," Lily said.  


James dropped his hand and looked at her, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "Evans," he said. He stepped closer. Too close. "You could have stepped across me."  


"You would have looked up my skirt," Lily said with all the dignity she could muster.  


"Too right I would have," James said. He smelled like outside, wet leaves and grass. "But I enjoyed our talk."  


Lily had to catch herself from saying me too. "I'm glad. Probably not the same as looking up my skirt but..."  


"Better than nothing," James agreed. He straightened up (Lily had only then noticed he had been leaning in) and stepped back. "I'll see you around Evans."  


Lily nodded. He smiled one last time and turned and left. She waited until she was absolutely positive he had rounded the corner and was out of earshot before she said,  


"Bye James."


End file.
